Satellites typically have large structures for antennas and masts for booms that position instrument sensors large distances from the satellite body. Such structures may range up to 200 feet in length, and use well-known methods for erecting triangular or square tower sections. Such structures are typically used in very large satellites, ranging to tons of on-orbit weight. When smaller masts or poles are required, a telescoping tube mast can be used; however, the telescoping mast must trade off length for number of sections (and attendant weight and diameter).
Development of a reduced volume satellite known as a nano-sat or “CubeSat” whose outer dimension is a 10 cm cube and weighs no more than 1 kg, enables space research with less expense. The need in nano-sats is for instrument booms in the range of 10-20 feet, and antenna elements within the range of 20-100 feet. For antennas, often two such elements are used in a center-fed dipole configuration. However, given a limit of 1 kg of mass in a 10 cm cube, none of the available technologies for masts or booms can provide a structure which would fit within those constraints, much less leave any mass or volume for the remaining satellite instruments and equipment.